Former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Adwoa Safo, has called on the government to take decisive action against corruption in Ghana’s School Feeding Programme, warning that mismanagement is crippling the initiative’s effectiveness.

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Speaking on Wontumi TV on Wednesday, March 19, the former Dome/Kwabenya Member of Parliament urged the current administration to conduct a thorough review of the programme, which was initially introduced to improve student nutrition and boost school enrollment.

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“The rot and the corruption that is going on at the school feeding sector is serious. This government should pay attention to that sector. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor had a great vision around the school feeding programme, but the way it has been twisted is a serious matter,” she stated.

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Reflecting on her time in office, Adwoa Safo disclosed that President Nana Akufo-Addo had tasked her with auditing the programme before releasing funds to her ministry. However, she alleged that the findings of her report sparked resistance within the government, leading the President to abandon the directive.

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“The majority of the rot was coming from the Central Region. The backlash that followed my submission of the audit report made President Akufo-Addo deny that he had asked me to conduct it. He told me to set it aside, and that’s where my problems began,” she claimed.

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Adwoa Safo also recounted how key officials in the programme obstructed her efforts to investigate financial irregularities.

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“When I was appointed as the Gender Minister, President Akufo-Addo asked me to conduct an audit of the school feeding programme before I would be granted revenue to operate. What was all the money allocated to the programme being used for? I would call this woman—a key official in the programme—once, twice, even three times, and she wouldn’t respond. Instead, she would send a message saying she wasn’t happy with how I was handling her because she had connections in the government and at higher authorities,” she alleged.

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Her revelations have reignited calls for urgent reforms in the School Feeding Programme, with growing concerns over accountability and transparency in its administration.

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